The Big Four and the Mystery of Mother Gothel
by Floranagirl
Summary: It's a new year and everything is going smoothly...well, until Mother Gothel steps into the picture. Can the Big Four survive another year together, especially when something strange starts happening at Hogwarts, and what's wrong with Jack? Sequel to The Big Four and the Wizarding School. A Rise of the Brave Tangled Dragons Hogwarts AU. Human!Jack. No pairings.
1. Prologue

**A/N: Here is year two, following my previous fic, The Big Four and the Wizarding School, it will most definitely contain spoilers for that fic, so I suggest reading that one first. I also will not be updating this for some time, probably until December, maybe even January. I just posted it so people who liked the first one can find it easily. This is just a teaser chapter.**

**I don't own Tangled, Brave, How To Train Your Dragon, Rise of the Guardians or Hogwarts.**

* * *

Prologue

"_This is the story of how I died." -E_

"_Flynn Rider that is not true! You aren't even in this story!" -M_

"_I'm there…sort of." -E_

"_Nope, you said it yourself last year. You won't be back in the story until Rapunzel's 18__th__." -J_

"_Oh, come on. I was doing things. Not just sitting around waiting for her to turn 18." -E_

"_So what? Just because you didn't pop out of existence does not mean you can narrate." -M_

"_I asked him to." -R_

"_Why?" -H_

"_As an impartial party, I figured his narration would be more reliable." -R_

"_Flynn? Reliable? He doesn't even have consistency with his own name." -J_

"_Rapunzel might have a point. Let's give him a chance. If he tries to exaggerate we can always interrupt him." -H_

"_Fine. I'm game." -M_

"_Me, too." -J_

"_Good. Eugene?" -R_

"_Once upon a time, because if I told you exactly when you'd start saying I had 'historical inaccuracies,' there lived two princesses, the heir to a tribe of Vikings and a poor boy from England. One princess, the princess of the sun kingdom, was taken as a baby. Though her parents recovered her, they decided to hide her away in a tower to ensure that she was hidden from the world, at least until she could protect herself. She could accomplish this by going to Hogwarts. _

_The other princess, from the Scottish Highlands, was the oldest child of the muggle king and queen. When they found out their daughter was a witch they agreed she could attend Hogwarts only if she focused on her training to become queen over the summer. The princess was so eager to learn magic she agreed. _

_The heir to the tribe had thought he was a squib, a disgrace to his all magic tribe, until he got the letter from Hogwarts, the first school that thought it could teach him how to cast spells._

_The poor boy, just a kid having fun, had always figured he'd have a normal life, working hard to support his mother and sister, but the letter from Hogwarts changed all that. _

_Last year, the four students experienced their first year at Hogwarts. The highland princess learned to put aside her prejudice for Slytherins (more or less). The heir cast his first spell with his left hand, the poor boy found friends, and the sun princess found freedom._

_Along the way to friendship, they had adventures, including one in the forest, where they encountered the terrifying, black sand horses, also called Nightmares. The only unfortunate part was that none of them ever found out where the Nightmares came from._

_I was the only one who knew that the mysterious man behind the plot was none other than Professor Pitch Black. But before I could warn the first years, he expelled me._

_Now they are poised to enter their second year … I only hope they can survive without my help."_


	2. Birthday in the Tower

**Happy Almost New Year! I actually finished the rough draft before 2014! Yay! I should have a new chapter up once a week, until it's finished (meanwhile I'll get to work on writing year three).**

**This story contains multiple references to the book series, both How to Train Your Dragon and the Guardians of Childhood, but I don't think there are any spoilers, at least nothing that wasn't spoiled by the films. If you haven't read them, no worries, you should be able to follow everything as though the characters or plot elements from the books were OCs. I own nothing.**

* * *

Rapunzel flitted back and forth, polishing the banister, sweeping the floor, doing a last bit of laundry, mopping and just shining up the tower in general. Today was a very important day.

For the first time she could remember, someone besides Mother Gothel would get to see the inside of the tower, three someones: Jack Frost, Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third and Merida, Princess of Castle Dunbroch. Although she made quite a few friends at Hogwarts last year, these three were the only students who knew the secret of her hair.

With a last sweep of her brush, Rapunzel cleared out the fireplace... just in time, too. No sooner did she get the last ash out than green flames flared up and an auburn haired boy stepped out.

"Happy birthday, Rapunzel," he said holding out a small package. Before the girl could take it, a woman dressed all in red strolled in, taking the present and standing between the girl and boy.

"Well, you must be one of Rapunzel's little friends. Let me guess, Jake?" Gothel set the box on a table

"Hiccup, actually," the boy replied dryly, "and his name is Jack."

"Hiccup," Rapunzel said, "this is my…Mother Gothel."

"Hi." Hiccup held out his hand but Gothel didn't take it.

"Now Rapunzel, no need to be so formal, just call me Mother, dear."

"Yes, Mother," Rapunzel said softly.

"There now, that's a good girl. Have fun entertaining your friends. I'll go work on the hazelnut soup." Gothel left the room with a large amount of swagger. Hiccup stared after her.

"She's not your real mother, right?" Hiccup asked.

"No. But Mother Gothel has taken care of me my whole life. I owe her everything."

"What about your real parents? Aren't they going to come to your party?"

"No. They have to stay at the palace and pretend to be in mourning for me. I'm the lost princess remember? They have to pretend that they don't know where I am for all the muggles in the kingdom."

"Have you ever met your parents?"

"Well…no, Mother Gothel thinks bad people might follow them if they tried to visit me. But I get letters, and tonight they'll release thousands of floating lights to let me know they remember."

Before Hiccup could ask more questions, the fireplace lit up and a girl with wild red hair stepped out carrying a large box.

"Ack, I hope I'm not late. Took them long enough to get my fireplace connected. Mum didn' want just any old wizards to be able to come to Castle Dunbroch, but I convinced her that it was impractical to be traveling all the way to London by carriage, only to travel by train back up to Scotland. Takes too much time out of vacation."

"How are you, Merida?" Hiccup asked as Rapunzel set the gift on a table by the kitchen.

"Don't ask. It's been nothing but work at home. And I thought this was going to be a vacation!"

"It can't be that bad back home, with your family?"

"It can. Mother's still a bit busy with the triplets, but Maudie's taken over most of their care. I know I promised I'd commit meself over the summer, but really, I thought it would end when the triplets were born. Why can't she be botherin' them? They're going to rule, right?"

"They are less than a year old," Hiccup said, "aren't they?"

"Aye. But still, you'd think Mum would be too busy with them to bother with me. The only upside to bein' back home is that I never have to run into any Slyther-"

Before she could finish the statement, the fireplace lit up and Jack Frost stepped out.

"Hey, Princess. You weren't about to insult me, were you?"

"How many times must I tell you, do not call me that!"

"What, Princess?"

"Yes!"

"Ok, your majesty, or do you prefer your highness?" Jack smirked and gave a mocking bow. Merida glared at him, rolling up her sleeves in preparation to attack.

Rapunzel flinched, twisting her braided hair.

"Guys, please? Do you have to fight?" Hiccup said.

"He started it!" Merida said, but after a glance at Rapunzel and Hiccup's frowns she added, "Sorry, Rapunzel."

"It's ok," Rapunzel said, a small smile creeping back onto her face.

"So, what's been going on over your summer?" Jack asked.

"Not much. I charted the stars on the ceiling and made a few new paintings." Rapunzel gestured to the circular walls of the tower, brightly painted with images of flowers, suns, and Rapunzel dancing.

"Still love to paint, eh?" Hiccup asked examining the painted flowers coming up from the staircase.

"It's a way to pass time," Rapunzel answered. "What about your summer?"

"Same ol', same ol'. I guess Dad's happy now that I've cast a few spells for him, not that you could tell considering he never smiles. I still have a bit of trouble keeping up with the others. They've had all year to practice; I'm still playing catch up."

"Don't worry. By the end of this year you should be all caught up," Jack reassured him. "After all, if you could teach me all I know, I'm sure you'll be able to teach yourself."

"Maybe." Hiccup added, "What about your summer?"

"Oh, you know, the usual. Taught my sister how to swim, pulled a prank and got grounded, and Mother decided I was old enough to start helping around town. I've been helping Mr. Burgess out by herding his sheep. He said if I do a good job this summer he'll give me a sheep."

"I can't picture you herdin' sheep," Merida said.

"Oh, but it's so much fun, especially with my broom."

"How do you use a broom to herd sheep?" Hiccup asked.

"One, flying on it is totally fun, even if it is for a mundane activity like herding sheep, and two, the top is curved, like a shepherd's staff. That's actually what gave me the idea to try and get shepherd work. Mother gets the money, Mr. Burgess gets a shepherd, and I get to practice flying. Everyone wins."

"Except the sheep," Merida said. "They have to put up with you."

"At least the sheep are better company than you," Jack replied, sticking out his tongue. Merida turned on him.

"That's it!" Merida lunged at Jack, but Hiccup stepped between them, holding Merida back, while Jack laughed. Rapunzel's brow creased. If Mother saw them like this she'd never let Rapunzel invite anyone up to her tower.

"OK! That's enough!" Hiccup said. "Why don't we look at Rapunzel's paintings?"

Merida took a deep breath and Jack stopped laughing, both calming a little.

"Thanks, guys," Rapunzel said. "The last thing I need is for Mother to think I can't even keep control over my own party."

"Sorry, Rapunzel," Jack said.

"Why don't we go up to my room?" The kids nodded and followed Rapunzel up the staircase.

* * *

From the kitchen, Gothel listened to the children, jumping up as soon as she was certain they were in Rapunzel's room. Gothel ran to the table where Rapunzel had set Merida's present.

Gothel cursed as she noted the box was tied with twine. It would be impossible to open it without cutting through the rope. Gothel began to shake the item, listening for anything that sounded heavy or dangerous.

"Looking for something?" A voice came out of the shadows causing Gothel to jump several feet in the air, dropping the present. She watched in horror as the item fell, praying whatever was inside wasn't fragile.

But before the box came crashing down, a pair of black clad arms came out of the shadow, catching it without a sound. Gothel focused on the arms, making out the dark shape of a man.

"You scared me," Gothel said taking the item back from the man and setting it back on the table.

"Now, now, we both know there's only one thing you fear."

"What do you want, Pitch?"

"My dear Gothel, I'm surprised you were not expecting me, seeing as how you failed to keep your end of our deal."

"What difference does it make? The flower is gone. That's what you wanted, isn't it?"

"The flower may be gone, but its light is not. I'm surprised you didn't remember; must have slipped your mind. Indeed, I was quite surprised when the girl showed up at school last year, even more so when she used her hair for the very reason I tried to have you hide it from the world."

"She…She used her hair?" Gothel said, stunned.

"Yessss," Pitch hissed. "To fight off my Nightmares! When I gave you that flower, I entrusted you to keep it from being used to hurt my army! You have failed!"

"I tried to keep her under wraps! I've sealed the door to this tower, the only way in or out is by Floo powder or shadow travel. But she had to be a witch, just like her parents! You know you can't hide from wizards without a fidelius charm, and I haven't been able to cast a spell in over two centuries."

"I did warn you that excessive use of the flower would deteriorate your natural magic."

"Who cares if I have magic? All I want is Rapunzel, and her hair."

"As it happens, we want the same thing. Rapunzel's hair is harmful to my army; on top of that, she and her friends have seen my herd. They do not know what they have seen, but if they were to tell one of the other professors, particularly those who moonlight as Guardians, it would be highly damaging to my plans. I need to keep the students silent."

"Just obliterate their minds," Gothel suggested.

"Too risky. Obliteration works great on Slytherin students. As their head of house, I can claim I used it to stop a large scale feud, but the Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Gryffindor students might be discovered. Toothiana can detect a memory charm a mile away."

"Then why not just kill them? All but Rapunzel, of course."

"I tried that. They got away. Anyway, if three students, two of whom are not in my house, died under suspicious circumstances it may lead to the very thing I am trying to prevent. For all I know they may have already told someone, and while my Nightmares might be dismissed as a fantasy now, after a death that information could be looked into in greater detail. I need a way to strengthen the Nightmares before any investigation, and you need to find a way to keep her hair from weakening them anymore than it already has."

"And how do you expect me to do that? I can't keep Rapunzel from the school, much as I'd like to."

"But you can, IF she wants to leave, or IF her parents decide the school is too dangerous for their child."

"I've been trying! But only seeing her over the summer and Christmas has made it extremely hard to do. If only I could follow her to Hogwarts. Then I wouldn't have to rely on her rejuvenation potions while she's away and I would have more control."

"I believe we can arrange something…," Pitch said with a menacing grin.

* * *

"So, Rapunzel?" Hiccup started. "When are you heading down to Diagon Alley for your school supplies? Maybe we could meet up?"

"Um…I don't think Mother will let me. She doesn't like it when I leave the tower," Rapunzel said, pulling on her hair.

"Aw, come on. Don't tell me you stay inside all summer?" Jack said, hanging down from one of the rafters. "That's no fun."

"It's fine, I'm safe here," Rapunzel said. "And it's not like I have nothing to do. I can always paint. And there's work, I have to keep the tower clean, cook, and make candles and new dresses when I grow, not to mention brushing my hair."

"I couldn't stand doin' tha'," Merida said. "Though Mum would probably want me to."

"It's not so bad. Those things need doing; as long as I'm here I might as well do them," Rapunzel defended herself.

"I'm sure they don't mean any offence," Hiccup said. "Right?"

"Of course not," Jack answered dropping from the ceiling landing on his feet. "Just that I couldn't stand it."

"Me, neither," Merida added.

"Did you see that Rapunzel?" Hiccup asked.

"What?" Rapunzel said, looking around her bedroom. Everything looked normal.

"Jack and Merida. They finally agreed on something!" Immediately Jack and Merida started trying to deny it, swearing up and down that they didn't mean it, saying Hiccup and Rapunzel must have misunderstood.

Hiccup and Rapunzel shared a chuckle as with each protest Merida and Jack's faces got redder and redder. Eventually their protests turned into mild jabs at each other, followed by much laughter. They were having so much fun they hardly noticed the time passing.

Before they knew it, it was time for dinner. The kids ate their hazelnut soup quickly in the kitchen before insisting that Rapunzel open her presents.

The table was piled high with boxes, small and large. Rapunzel took the small one Hiccup had brought first. Opening it, she pulled out a small telescope.

"I know you're always looking out your window; I thought this might help you. I made it myself," Hiccup said.

"I love it. Thank you." Rapunzel put the telescope up to her eye. "This will be perfect for watching the lanterns tonight."

Setting the telescope down, Rapunzel picked up Merida's large package. Inside she found a dartboard and a set of darts.

"I wanted to get you a bow, like the one my dad gave me for my birthday years ago, but Mum wouldn't allow it. Said it wasn't a good gift for a princess. Figured you could work on your aim with the darts, and maybe next year I can get you the bow."

"Thank you, Merida." Rapunzel moved on to the next package, a large box from her real parents that contained a guitar. The last present on the table turned out to be white paint from Mother Gothel.

"I hope you appreciate this, Rapunzel. It took me nearly three days to walk to the beach and collect the white shells to make the paint."

"Thank you." Rapunzel hugged Mother before stepping back to examine the walls. There must be room for a new painting somewhere.

"Don't forget mine!" Jack said, drawing Rapunzel away from the walls. Jack pulled a small bag out from inside his vest. Gently Rapunzel took the grubby little bag. Through the thin cloth she felt small odd shapes. Setting the bag on the table she slowly opened it. To her surprise, a bunch of small wood chips fell out.

"A puzzle?" Rapunzel said excitedly examining the pieces.

"I figured you could use something fun."

"Thank you. What's it a picture of?"

"Only one way to find out." With a smile, Rapunzel and her friends cleared off the table and begun working on solving the puzzle, which turned out to be a picture of a hummingbird. Afterward they played darts and took turns seeing how far they could spot things outside the tower with the telescope. Rapunzel also gave the guitar a try, though she quickly abandoned it, deciding to practice when she was alone instead, and began painting the guitar.

As the sun set, Gothel brought out cookies for the children to munch on as they gazed into the twilight sky, waiting for the lights to appear. Rapunzel watched in wonder as the river of lights softly floated up from beyond the forest into the night sky, creating a path back to the palace. A path meant for her. Someday, she'd follow that path home.


	3. The Diagon Alley Challenge

"We're going to be late," Merida whined, gazing out the carriage window. "Why couldn't we just use the Floo powder?"

"I'll not trust that magic nonsense," King Fergus replied. "You're not gettin' me inside a chimney stack. I'm not Santa Claus."

"Mum did it last year."

"Aye, but yehr mum can't leave the triplets. Anyway, I thought yeh'd be glad o' the break. No lessons on the road, eh."

"It's a nice break, but I told my friends I'd meet them by Gringotts. At this rate we won't even be there the same week, let alone the same day."

"Don't you trust Angus, lass? Or have you forgotten how fast yer own horse can go after you spent a year with wizards. He'll get us there. Don'tch yeh worry."

Merida sighed and resigned herself to looking out the window. If only she were riding Angus, at least she'd have the wind in her hair. Though her dad was right, it was nice not to be reprimanded for every little thing.

As it turned out, they made it to Diagon Alley in the early afternoon, though Hiccup and Jack were already there. To her dismay both boys already had their supplies.

"Couldn't yeh wait for me?" Merida said. "I wouldn't have rushed so, if I'd known."

"Mom couldn't stay long. We had to leave my sister at home alone, so we bought the stuff and Mom took it home. I have my broom, so I can fly home when we're done here." Jack lifted the stick at his side.

"You sure Jack?" Hiccup asked. "Don't you live miles away? Can you really fly there?"

"Hey, this broom and me. We're like one. I think its time in the forbidden forest made it faster. I feel like I could travel the whole globe in less than an hour," Jack answered.

"And what's your excuse?" Merida said turning on Hiccup.

"Sorry, Dad wants me to buy my supplies on Berk, you know, support local business. But I did convince him I needed new robes. I told him I felt a growth spurt coming on. He looked so proud, just like when my letter came. I hope a growth spurt really does come on, otherwise, not only will I be the worst wizard on Berk, but I'll be the smallest Viking, too."

"Don't let me dad hear yeh say tha'," Merida cautioned.

"What? He has a phobia of people on the small side?"

"Nay, of Vikings. They invaded Scotland when I was a wee girl. He banded the lords together t' fight them off so they named him king."

"Not my tribe. Aside from a few search and destroy missions for the Dragons' Nest, school, and a few odd diplomatic meetings with the others in the archipelago, no one has left Berk for three hundred years. Certainly not to invade anywhere. Berkians don't do that. Could have been the Berserkers, I suppose, or maybe the Outcasts."

"I don't care who it was. Dad wouldn't like it. Do not tell my dad you're a Viking."

"Hey, Merida?" Jack said. "Your dad doesn't happen to have red hair, a peg leg, and a kilt, does he?"

"Aye, tha' him."

"He's standing right behind you." Merida turned and jumped as King Fergus picked her up in a tight embrace.

"So this is where you run off to, lass? And these are the friends you been so keen t' tell me 'bout."

"Aye. Dad, this is Hiccup, and the Slytherin."

"Hey!" Jack said. "It's not like I'm the only Slytherin."

"I know tha' but you are the only one I know."

"Now you know that's not true! Not only did you meet other students, but some of our professors probably came from Slytherin, too," Jack said. A smirk grew on his face. "We're here at the busiest wizard shopping center in all of England, I bet a quarter of the people here, including shop owners you met last year, were in Slytherin."

"Oh, you're on, Jack Frost. If you're right, I'll do your history homework all year."

"Nice try, but you're worse at history than I am. How about, you have to learn the names of all the Slytherins currently attending Hogwarts?"

"That'll take forever!"

"What's the matter? Afraid of losing?"

"No way! But if I win, you have to write a page detailing all the virtues of Gryffindors."

"You're on!" Jack grabbed his broom and he and Merida took off to the nearest store.

* * *

Hiccup watched as Merida and Jack raced from store to store.

"Ha! Tha's me girl! Go on!" King Fergus called out to his daughter. Hiccup eyed the large man warily. The king didn't look that much different from his own father, Stoick the Vast, all be it without his left leg and beard. Even his helmet could pass for a Viking helmet if horns were added. And yet, according to Merida, he hated Vikings.

Hiccup glanced over his shoulder, not sure if he wanted Gobber to return or not. Gobber would certainly be good protection (hence why Stoick sent him) if this wild king, who was loudly and rambunctiously cheering on Merida, did turn on him for being a Viking. On the other hand, it would be hard to mistake Gobber for anything but a Viking, with his horned helmet and ax, not to mention his tendency to loudly announce that he was a Viking.

Before Hiccup could come to a decision, Gobber popped out of Gringotts. King Fergus had his back to the bank, watching Merida as she taunted Jack over the last store owner being a Gryffindor. Slowly and quietly Hiccup made his way to Gobber. If only he could get to Gobber before the king noticed them. Unfortunately, Gobber either didn't notice Hiccup, or mistook his gesture to be quiet as an invitation to talk.

"Those goblins may be a stuffy lot, but they do have a few things on us when it comes t' their outhouses." Hiccup winced as Gobber announced to all of Diagon Alley exactly what he'd been doing in Gringots.

"Lord Macintosh?" King Fergus asked turning towards Gobber. As soon as the king spotted Gobber, he quickly retracted, "Sorry, thought you were someone else."

"He he, tha's ok. It's not like you mistook me for a yak, or anything," Gobber said. To Hiccup's relief, the king laughed.

"Aye, but yeh do sound like Lord Macintosh," the king chuckled, "though there's no comparison in body."

The king didn't seem to have noticed that Gobber was a Viking.

"Uh, Gobber, this is Merida's dad. And this is my…Gobber," Hiccup introduced the two.

"I'd love to hear more about this lord whom I sound so much like. Care to tell me over a pint?"

"Aye, after yeh tell me what bear took yer arm and leg."

"'Twas no bear, but a dragon. I'd love t' hear the story behind yours."

"I saw something that day…Something I'll not forget…" The King and Gobber walked down to a nearby pub leaving Hiccup on his own. Hiccup turned back to Jack and Merida.

He found the two outside the pet shop arguing over whether or not they should count people who didn't even go to Hogwarts.

"When I said a quarter, I meant of Hogwarts graduates," Jack explained.

"But you said a quarter of all shop owners, or are you scared you're going to lose?"

"You wish."

"Sorry, Jack. Merida is right," Hiccup said joining up with them. "You never specified where the other three quarters came from."

"Ha!" Merida snapped at Jack. Hiccup smiled and followed them as they continued their census of Diagon Alley employees. After visiting every shop (with Merida buying her school supplies along the way) the trio sat down on the steps of Gringotts to count the numbers.

"…5 said they were in Slytherin…13 Hufflepuff…8 Ravenclaw…3 Gryffindor, and 4 from different wizarding schools, plus 3 who didn't attend school at all."

"Sorry Jack, but a quarter of 36 is 9," Hiccup said. "I guess Merida wins."

"Aw! No fair! I demand a rematch." Despite Jack's protests, the competition had been quite fun for all of them; even Hiccup was enjoying himself.

"Oh, go ahead, have your rematch, the answers will be the same. I'm more interested to know why there weren't more Gryffindors," Merida said.

"'Cause no one would shop here if it were run by by pigheaded redheads like you," Jack said automatically before quickly turning to Hiccup. "Uh, no offense to you or your dad that is."

"That's ok. We do tend to have stubbornness issues."

The kids leaned back watching the clouds float across the sky. So strange to see such clear blueness. Hiccup wondered if that was what Berk would look like without the dragons' attacks. No lingering ash or clouds of dust drifting in from the Dragons' Nest. Then he laughed. Even without the dragon attacks, Berk could never be this warm, even in July. Hiccup watched as a long fluffy cloud took the shape of a girl with long hair trailing behind her.

"Hey guys?" Hiccup asked. "What are we going to do about Rapunzel?"

"What do mean?" Jack said.

"Something's…off…with her 'mother' or whatever we're supposed to call her."

"I didn't notice anything," Jack said.

"Yeah, she didna' seem as controlling as my mother."

"Maybe it is in my head…I mean I hardly knew my mother when she…" Hiccup couldn't bring himself to finish the sentence.

"I understand. It's the same thing with my dad," Jack said. "He left before we even knew Emma was coming. I don't remember him at all. But I don't think we should worry about Rapunzel. Even if you're right and something is wrong, it's not like her mother is coming to school with us. We'll be there if Rapunzel needs us."

"Aye. I'll not let anyone hurt her," Merida agreed.


	4. Storytime on the Train

"Be careful!" Jack's mother said waving her son off.

"I will," Jack called out with a laugh before darting onto the train. Getting his trunk in the luggage bin seemed a lot easier this year. Maybe because he had grown a whole inch over the summer or maybe it had something to do with stronger muscles from herding sheep.

Jack scoured the train, glad none of his friends were there yet. While he would love to ride in with them, his current search was his alone. He was searching for Flynn Rider.

At the end of last year, Flynn had left suddenly. Jack checked every train car but Flynn was nowhere to be found. In his heart, Jack knew Flynn wasn't going to be there. He'd been told that Flynn wouldn't return this year, but he hadn't fully believed it until now.

Jack ended up settling down in an empty cabin, gazing out the window waiting to see which of his friends would show up first. It was too bad his mother couldn't stay, but they'd decided Floo powder was too expensive to waste bringing Emma to the station when she wasn't even going on the train. Unfortunately, this meant his mother had to return home almost as soon as she arrived. Jack wondered if this might be the last time his mother bothered to venture down to the station with him. It was a somewhat depressing thought, being alone.

Jack drew his knees up to his chest as he watched other families scramble aboard. Some of them he recognized from classes, but the majority he'd seen only in hallways. It didn't really matter, Jack thought. No matter where he remembered them from, they never seemed to notice him. Strange how one summer back with friends in Burgess could make him forget what it felt like to be invisible.

The invisibility did not last for long; Merida popped out of the fireplace at the back of the platform, a plump woman in a wimple assisting her with the trunk. Jack leaned out the window and waved her over. Even Merida's company was preferable to being alone.

Merida scowled when she spotted him, making Jack break out into a bigger grin just to annoy her. He could definitely have some fun with her before the others arrive. Jack watched Merida and the woman heave the trunk into the luggage compartment. Silently he wished for gravity to play a trick on them and dump the trunk on Merida, retaliation for a trick she played last year. But no such luck. Merida got her trunk up without a problem and joined Jack in the cabin.

"Just my luck you'd be the first body here," Merida said as she plopped down on the seat across from Jack.

"Like I wanted to spend time alone with you," Jack spat back.

"Oh come off it! You coulda hidden from me, like yeh did last year. Let's not repeat that. I doubt professor Bunnymund'd let me off again."

"For the last time! I never hid from you!"

"Then explain t' me how you disappeared like tha'? I swear I couldn' see you."

"Get your eyes checked, I was there."

"Well duh! O' course you were there, but you were hidin' from me."

"Was not!"

"Was too!"

"Was not!"

"Was too!" Jack and Merida became so caught up in their argument, neither noticed Hiccup until he stepped into the cabin.

"Can you two knock it off, at least during the trip?" Hiccup pleaded sitting next to Jack.

"She started it!"

"No, he started it, Last yea-"

"I don't care who started it!" Hiccup said forcefully; something that took Jack by surprise. He didn't know Hiccup had a forceful setting. Hiccup sighed and continued, "I don't mind your constant squabbling, but Rapunzel does. So can you guys tone it down?"

"We're just having fun," Jack said.

"Rapunzel's not used to constant fighting. If you must fight, do it somewhere else."

"I don't see what th' big deal is, she's not even here!" Merida complained crossing her arms.

"Oh, yes, she is." Hiccup pointed out the window onto the platform. There across the station Rapunzel struggled to pull a large trunk across the floor. Jack and Merida jumped up immediately, leaving the cabin to assist their friend.

"Man, what do you have in here Rapunzel?" Jack asked as he and Merida attempted to lift the trunk into the luggage rack.

"Oh, you know: school supplies, clothes, cauldrons, books, my frying pan."

"Frying pan?" Merida exclaimed as she and Jack finally got the trunk set up. "You're not going to cooking school! You're going to magic school! Why would you need a frying pan?"

Rapunzel's brow creased with worry, "Mother Gothel thought I might need it. She said I might have to do some cooking this year."

"That wasn't in the letter," Jack said as the group settled back in the cabin.

"I know, but Mother said it could be useful, so into the trunk it went."

"I'd not bring a frying pan t' school with me. Why, I'd rather turn into a bear tha' brin' borin' work with me t' school," Merida said.

"Thinking about bears a lot, Merida?" Hiccup asked.

"I just spent the summer with the bear king. It's hard not to be thinkin' of them around my father," Merida replied.

"Let me get this straight. You'd rather have to forage for food, scaring your friends and family, unable to communicate with people than bring a useful tool to school. Wow. I can't believe I understood you," Jack said with a grin.

"Well, it sounds bad when you say it like tha'!" Merida snapped, sticking her tongue out at Jack. Jack returned the gesture before noticing Hiccup's glare. Sheepishly Jack turned away from the girl, focusing on the platform outside the train as the four settled into their cabin.

To his displeasure, someone Jack disliked more than Merida was out there. Derek, a Slytherin in the same year as Jack, was loading his stuff. Why couldn't he be the one who had to leave for personal problems instead of Flynn? Jack turned back to Merida. If he had to look at someone he didn't like, he'd rather it be a friend.

Rapunzel and Hiccup were having a conversation about what spells they thought they'd learn this year. Merida watched them with a bored expression. This wouldn't do, none of them were having any fun. With a smirk, Jack pulled his wand out from his vest. Muttering under his breath, Jack levitated a lock of Merida's hair.

At first the girl didn't notice. Jack became bolder. Twisting larger clumps of hair under her chin until she looked as though she'd grown a beard. Jack couldn't stop himself from chuckling, drawing the attention of Rapunzel and Hiccup. Rapunzel was the first to notice Merida, giving a small giggle. Hiccup also laughed when he saw Merida, before giving Jack a stern look that clearly said to cut it out. Finally Merida herself noticed, and boy, did she explode.

Her face got so red Jack wouldn't have been surprised if steam started to come out of her ears. Jack couldn't hold it back any longer; he burst out into the biggest, most joyful laugh he could muster. Merida gave Jack a good scolding before joining in the laughter.

Jack kept her from being too mad by making silly faces and sharing funny folk stories from Burgess. Soon the quartet became engaged in trying to outdo each other with the best story. Merida first told a legend from the Highlands.

"Once, when my family was out on holiday, not so very far from Castle Dunbroch, I wandered away from the camp. Deeper and deeper into the woods I crept, the shadows falling fast. I feared I was lost. A twig cracked behind me, but before I could panic, what should appear in front of me but a will 'o the wisp! I tried to catch it, but it vanished; another one appeared a few feet away. The wisps led me back to camp, but the demon Bear Mor'du followed me! I attacked it, naturally. I almost had it, but then it knocked my sword away, luckily my dad was near. But his sword did no better! Whoosh! One swipe and his sword shattered, then CHOMP! Dad's leg was clean off. Mor'du has never been seen since, though you can hear him roaming the woods, waiting for a chance at revenge!"

"That never happened!" Jack accused.

"Tell that to my dad's leg."

"Demon bear? Really?!" Rapunzel asked timidly.

"Oh, aye. Even before my dad lost his leg, Mor'du was well known. The legend's been around since the time of the Ancient Kingdom."

"Bet you made the whole thing up," Jack said.

"I did not! It's one hundred percent true."

"And how long ago was this? When you took on an ancient demon bear? You're only twelve now-"

"Eleven. I turn twelve in two weeks," Merida corrected him.

"Even worse, so you expect me to believe a little girl could fight off a bear."

"You're just sour 'cause it's better than you're glackit folk legends."

"Hiccup?" Jack asked.

"Stupid folk legends," Hiccup translated. Jack angrily turned back to Merida.

"Hey! My legends are not stupid!"

"Jack?" Hiccup interjected. "Remember what I said about fighting? Anyway, it's my turn to tell a tale. How about the legend of Grimbeard the Ghastly?"

"Grimbeard was my great-great-grandfather and also the greatest pirate who ever lived. He sailed the seven seas and acquired the largest treasure anyone has ever seen. They say it's so big that even the gods were jealous, so jealous that they cursed Grimbeard. Thor the Thunderer sent a storm that drove Grimbeard into Breakneck Bog. Up until that time, Breakneck Bog had been a lovely vacation spot for families, a beloved holiday getaway, but the moment Grimbeard's boat crashed on the shore all life on the island ceased. They say Grimbeard's spirit still haunts the bog, in the form of a fog monster. It destroys any ship that sails too close, ever guarding Grimbeard's treasure. So careful if you're ever sailing in the Barbaric Archipelago, avoid the dreaded fog monster and ghost of Grimbeard the Ghastly by avoiding Breakneck Bog."

"Dragons? Pirates? Ghosts? Fog monsters? How do you sleep?" Rapunzel asked drawing her knees up to her chest giving a shiver.

"Well, I've never actually seen a ghost and I don't really believe in a fog monster, and the dragons usually keep the pirates away from Berk. The dragons are a bit of a problem, but it's not like they raid us every night. The warriors can usually handle them."

"I wish we had dragons or fog monsters at Castle Dunbroch. Anything to make mum cancel lessons."

"Oh yes, god forbid you actually have to do any work," Jack said sarcastically. "If I ever acquire the power to make people cancel lessons, I'll be sure to help you escape responsibility."

Merida's nostrils flared, she leapt up shaking her fist in his face, "Jack Frost! You don't know anythin' about responsibility! If by some miracle you did gain the power to make mum call off the lessons, I bet you'd make it so everyone but me-"

"OK!" Hiccup interjected. "Can you guys finish this argument later, Rapunzel hasn't had a go yet. Do you have a story to share, Rapunzel?"

"…um, well, Mother Gothel never exactly told me any legends…well, except the one about my hair…but I did hear a rumor last year, it seemed pretty old. You remember what they said about the founders? Right? Well, apparently one of the founders left a hidden room in the school, a secret chamber. They say he hid a monster in the chamber. It can only be released by the heir, who will use the beast to carry out his evil plans."

"What evil plans?" Merida asked.

"Which founder?" Hiccup added.

"I…I don't remember which founder. I think the evil plans had something to do with the students, maybe he wanted to make this an all boy's school? It was something like that."

"All boys? So it must have been Slytherin or Gryffindor," Hiccup said.

"Or was it to make it an all girl's school?" Rapunzel added hesitantly.

"So then it would be Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw," Jack added.

"I'm not even sure if that rumor was true, it was just something the older students were talking about, I think a seventh year was writing a paper on it, for all I know he was making it up," Rapunzel said. "Don't tell mother I told you, or about any of the legends you told me. She wouldn't want me to be exposed to anything scary like that."

"You call those legends scary?" Jack asked, giving a mischievous grin. "The only thing scary about any of those stories was that Merida made it out of her bear encounter alive to terrorize Hogwarts."

"HEY!" Merida snapped at Jack.

"Guys, I think we're here," Hiccup interrupted. All four students watched out the window as the Hogwarts Express pulled into the Hogsmead station, each wondering what the new year would hold.


End file.
